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Tag Archives: pets

Having a pet makes us better people!

25 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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animal lovers, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, pets, pets make us better people, volunteer

Psychologist Dr. Megan Mueller did a side-by-side comparison of the daily activities of pet parents, and people without pets. The result: Animal lovers spent more time volunteering. They were also more likely to do favors for friends and family, and encourage others to lend a helping hand. In other words, caring for pets make us care more about humans. Dr. Mueller suspects the compassion and patience needed for taking care of our pets transfer directly into our relationships with people.

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Which is better for our health: Dogs or cats?

03 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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allergies, cat lover, cats, Colorado, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, dog lover, dogs, go for a walk, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, oxytocin, pet a cat, pet a dog, pets, play

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Sorry, cat-people, but DOGS win! Dr. Lori Kogan, clinical science professor at Colorado State, says dogs need to be walked, making us more physically active. Walking our dogs also means meeting other dog owners, or dog-lovers that just want to say “hi,” which triggers production of feel-good hormones. Plus: Growing up with a dog lowers a person’s risk of allergies and asthma. But before cat lovers get their claws out, ALL pets improve our health. Because they provide stress relief and a mood-boosting dose of oxytocin every time we snuggle, play with, or even just look at them.

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Xylitol and your pets

27 Wednesday Jun 2018

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cat, cats, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, dog, dogs, gum, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, pet, pets, sugar free gum, sugar-free, toxic, xylitol

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We’ve talked before about how toxic xylitol is to pets (cats and dogs)… that’s the artificial sweetener found in a lot of sugar-free foods. But your dog is most likely to encounter xylitol in sugar-free gum that’s been spit out on the street or sidewalk. And if your dog gets it on their paws, and tries to lick it off, they could get really sick. So always check your dog’s paws after a walk… and if there’s gum stuck to their pads, get some vegetable oil and rub it all around. It’ll practically disintegrate the gum within seconds – so you can safely wipe it away.

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Our dogs are getting fat!

18 Thursday Jan 2018

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, dog, dog treat, dog treats, dogs, fat dog, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, overweight dog, pet, pet tip, pet tips, pets, puppy, shiba inu, treats

dog-treat-kitchen-overweight-wp

You know how, if you leave junk food on your kitchen counter, you’re more likely to eat it? The same is true for your dog! If you have dog treats on the counter, you’re more likely to dish them out every time your dog flashes their adorable puppy-dog eyes your way. In fact, according to nutrition scientist, Dr. Brian Wansink, leaving treats on the counter is one of the reasons half of all dogs are overweight.

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Make sure to protect your pets in winter from antifreeze and de-icers!

22 Friday Dec 2017

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animals, anti-freeze, antifreeze, cats, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-icer, deicer, dogs, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, pets, poison

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Antifreeze has an ingredient – called ethylene glycol – that’s highly toxic for pets, but it also smells sweet, which makes it attractive to animals. So make sure you store antifreeze in a tightly sealed container in an area your pets can’t get to – like a locked storage shed. And watch your pets when they’re near driveways or puddles that may contain spilled antifreeze. If you think your pet may have come in contact with antifreeze, call animal poison control immediately.

As far as de-icers, they’re made in different ways. Some can cause sore paws or even intestinal illness. So, if you use it, look for a brand that says it’s safe for pets…and put booties on dogs when walking in areas that may have been treated. Because if a pet licks their paws after walking on rock salt or de‑icing solutions, they could be poisoned.

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Forget allergy pills: Get a pet!

26 Friday May 2017

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allergens, allergies, allergy, cat, children, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, dog, immune, immunity, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, kid, kids, microbiology, pet, pets

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Microbiologist Dr. Susan Lynch says owning a dog reduces the risk of allergies, in kids and adults. That’s because pets – especially dogs – introduce new microbes to the home and your body. And that helps us build up our immunity to more allergens.

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Here are the pros and cons of letting your pet sleep in your bed:

03 Friday Mar 2017

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allergies, allergy symptoms, blood pressure, calm our nerves, calming, cat, cons, cuddle, dander, dirt, dog, dust mites, feel good, kiss, mold, National Sleep Foundation, oxytocin, partner, pets, pets sleep in your bed, pollen, pros, relationship, sleep, sleeping, snuggle, vulnerable

pet-sleep-in-bed-wp

Pros: Dr. Natalie Dautovich from the National Sleep Foundation says we humans feel vulnerable in bed and while we’re sleeping… So having an animal nearby can make us feel more secure. Pets also lower our blood pressure and calm our nerves, so we have an easier time drifting off. Plus, if you’re single, snuggling up with a pet provides the same feel-good dose of oxytocin that we get from cuddling with a partner.

So what about the cons of sleeping with your pet? On the relationship front, animals create a physical barrier between you, so you’re less likely to kiss and cuddle each other – and more likely to cuddle your pet. That’s according to marriage and family therapist Dr. Kat Van Kirk. Plus, if you have allergies, you’re getting up close and personal for 8 hours with dirt, dander, pollen, mold and dust mites – all from your pet’s fur. Which can greatly increase your allergy symptoms.

The real reason dogs eat grass

02 Thursday Feb 2017

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animal, animals, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, digestion, dog, dog eats grass, dogs, eat grass, grass, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, mmm, pet, pets, taste, Tufts, Tufts University, yum, yummy

dog-eat-grass-wp

Does your dog eat grass from time to time? Some people think animals eat grass to induce vomiting when they’re not feeling well. But researchers from Tufts University say most dogs eat grass because they like the taste and it aids digestion.

Here’s one way your dog can make you instantly happy!

10 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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animals, bond, brain, cat, cats, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cuddle, dog, dogs, eyes, happy, instant, instant happiness, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, love, oxytocin, pets, smile

happiness-boost-look-in-dog-eyes-wp

For an instant happiness boost: Gaze into your dog’s eyes. It floods your brain with oxytocin, the feel-good cuddle hormone… and it does the same for your dog. That strengthens your bond and makes you both happier.
This may work with cats and other animals too! Try it and let me know.

Your cat, dog or goldfish can improve your mood

26 Friday Aug 2016

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bird, blood pressure, cat, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, dog, fish, goldfish, happy, heart health, Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lower blood pressure, lower stress, mood, own a pet, parrot, pet, pet ownership, pets, stress

crazy-cat-lady-wp

Crazy cat ladies – and crazy cat dudes – may just be crazy happy. Because pet ownership has been linked to less stress, lower blood pressure, and better heart health. In fact, according to the Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative, 87% of doctors say their patients’ moods improved as a result of owning a pet.

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